Can I set up my iPad to print to a USB printer through an Airport Express?

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Level 1

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Can I set up my iPad to print to a USB printer through an Airport Express?

I set up my boyfriend's old Airport Express to act as a wireless print server for my Brother HL-2140 laser printer, and the install went perfectly. Now all of our computers (a Win 7 laptop, a Win 7 desktop, a Macbook Air, and an old Macbook Pro) can print wirelessly over our network. He has an iPhone 4, and I have an iPhone 3GS and a gen 1 iPad (all three devices are running iOS5), and I would like to set those up to print over the network as well. Is this technically possibly, and if it is how do I enable it? Thanks!

iPad, iOS 5

Posted on Oct 24, 2011 6:10 PM

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Answer 1

Fred-M-

Level 4

2,397 points

Oct 24, 2011 9:04 PM in response to brad0416

Brad0416-

Search the iTunes App store to see if there is a free Brother printing App. Other Apps like Print n Share will work for non-AirPrint printers, but are not as convenient as using AirPrint. They generally require you to use their own text, mail, browser and photo programs, and do not work from within other iOS Apps. One exception is that some Apps have an "Open In" option, that allows you to open a document in the printing App and then print it.

Another alternative is to use one of the computers to share its printer as AirPrint over WiFi. Printopia on the Macintosh is one program that can do that. For a free solution, search the web for AirPrint Activator. There are versions for both PC and Mac computers. Of course the computer has to be turned on and awake anytime you want to print!

Fred

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